Vacuum packing gland for high speed stirring



Aug. 25, 1959 R. R. BECKER VACUUM PACKING GLAND FOR HIGH SPEED STIRRINGFiled Sept. 12, 1958 INVENTOR. Robe/f R. Becker E6/(HOFF 25 SLICK A77ENEYS A-LUJ A MEMBER OF THE United States Patent VACUUM PACKING GLANDFOR HIGH SPEED STIRRIN G Robert R. Becker, Redondo Beach, Calif.,assignor to American Potash & Chemical Corporation, a corporation ofDelaware Application September 12, 1958, Serial No. 760,709

1 Claim. (Cl. 308--36.'1)

This invention relates to stirring devices such as are widely utilized,for example, in carrying out chemical reactions. To facilitate thereaction, it is usual to stir the several reactants to ensure the earlycompletion of the reaction,

The stirring device usually includes a shaft rotated at a high speed,e.g., from 10,000 to 18,000 revolutions per minute. It will be obviousthat such high speeds inherently provide a problem in support of theshaft of the stirring device. In addition, it is essential to ensurethat the reactants do not gain access to the interior of the stirringdevice, otherwise leakage from the reactants may occur or harm in thestirring device because of corrosion. The present invention provides astirring device in which adequate support of the shaft is given; at thesame time, an adequate seal is provided about the shaft enabling adesired pressure to be maintained in the closed system in which thedevice is employed. Additionally, the device of the present inventionenables the device to be maintained fluid-tight and to be adjusted whilein operation.

It is in general the broad object of the present invention to provide animproved stirring device, particularly one which provides an adequateseal against the reactants or loss of pressure or vacuum and which canbe adjusted while the stirring device is in use.

The invention includes other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, together with the foregoing, will appear hereinafter wherein thepresent preferred form of stirring device is disclosed. In the drawingaccompanying and forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is a side elevationpartly in section, showing the stirring device embodying the presentinvention.

Referring to the drawing, I have indicated the usual laboratory set-upin which a stirring device is employed to stir reactants in a glassflask 6. The stirring device is operated as by motor 7 connected by aflexible coupling 8 to one end of the stirring device shaft 9. At itsother end, shaft 9 includes a suitable agitator structure, generallyindicated at 11.

To support the shaft 9 for rotation, a first shaft support means 16 anda second shaft support means 17 are provided. The second shaft supportmeans includes 0 rings 18 which retain tapered section 19 on the support17 in engagement with a similarly tapered section of the flask 6. Ifdesired, connection to the flask can be made through a stopper, in whichcase the section 19 may be made with parallel sidewalls.

The first shaft support means is tubular and includes spaced bearings 21and 22 at opposite ends and which support the shaft for rotation. Theexposed end 23 of the first shaft support means is fashioned to receivea wrench so that it can be adjusted, as will be explained.

The second shaft support means 17 is also tubular and fits about thefirst shaft support means, the second shaft support means having an end26 through which the shaft 9 extends. The end 26 is closely adjacent toend 27 on the first shaft support means, a packing material 28 beinginterposed between the two to provide a seal between the two shaftsupport means and about the shaft.

To permit of positive adjustment of the two shaft support means withrespect to one another, the two are joined by a screw thread connection29, the position of adjustment of the two being maintained by set screw31 which engages the first shaft support means.

Preferably, the first shaft support means is made of a good heatconducting material such as brass, while the second shaft support meansmay be made of a material such as stainless steel. Since heat may begenerated in the continued operation of the shaft starting device athigh speed, a cooling jacket 32 is provided about the second shaftsupport means and a cooling medium is circulated through this to carryaway heat which may otherwise be generated.

From the foregoing, I believe it will be apparent that I have provided anovel, simple, and improved shaft stirring device in which the shaft issupported by spaced bearings, these being spaced a substantial distanceapart so that the shaft is adequately supported at high speed rotation.In addition, means are provided for adjusting the stufiing glandprovided about the shaft while the shaft is rotating.

I claim:

A shaft seal and a bearing support for a high speed rotatable stirringshaft consisting of a first shaft support means comprising an elongatedtubular shaft support member having a first bearing and a second bearingtherein, said bearings being spaced apart and being at opposite ends ofthe shaft support means to support the shaft for rotation, a secondshaft support means comprising an elongated tubular casing surroundingthe first shaft support means and having a first end through which saidshaft extends, said first end being cooperatively adjacent to and spacedfrom an adjacent end on the first shaft support means, packing betweensaid first end and said adjacent end, a screw thread connection betweensaid first and second shaft support means for moving the first shaftsupport means longitudinally of the second shaft support means, tocompress said packing, the end of said first shaft support means andsaid second bearing being V-shaped in section to engage the packing andforce the packing to engage the shaft positively upon movement of thefirst shaft support means longitudinally of the second shaft supportmeans and of the second bearing toward the first end on the second shaftsupport means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS342,815 Strater June 1, 1886 893,793 Gately Mar. 4, 1908 1,459,148 FlyntJune 19, 1923 2,076,200 Harley Apr. 6, 1937 2,584,252 Bourgeois Feb. 5,1952 2,829,931 DePree et al Apr, 8, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 805,479 FranceAug. 22, 1936

